When a fire broke out at her home Autumn Neale’s first thought was to run to her disabled sister’s room and carry her to safety.

Autumn’s mum, Bernadette Speers, says that response was typical of a teenager who devotes so much of her time to caring for her family.

After Bernadette had surgery following a cancer diagnosis, it was Autumn who took on the responsibility of running the family home. That included caring for her mum, her disabled little sister Aimee-Leigh, aged nine, and younger brother Daniel, aged 11.

Now Bernadette has nominated 17-year-old Autumn, a student at Newcastle College, for a Sentinel Our Heroes award, as carer of the year.

Autumn Neale with her mum Bernadette Speers

Bernadette, aged 50 – who lives with Autumn, Aimee-Leigh, Daniel and big sister Leanne, aged 21, in Loggerheads – said: “Autumn does so much. She gives her life to me and the family.

“This year we had a fire at the back and someone was banging at the door.

“It was a fire started in the back garden, but the windows were open, so it started to spread inside.

“Because Aimee-Leigh can’t walk, Autumn ran straight into her room and carried her out of the house.

“But Autumn is always there for me. She gives up going out with her friends to help out.

“I had cancer of the womb and I had to have a hysterectomy and I couldn’t do anything. All the way through Autumn looked after me and the kids, she was cooking meals, cleaning, doing the shopping and she did everything around the house.

“Her sister Aimee-Leigh is disabled, she can’t walk and she suffers seizures. Autumn looks after her.

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